Snowbird season is here. Here's how many seasonal visitors Arizona sees

By: Zach Bradshaw

The winter season will arrive sooner than you can imagine, and with it, a slew of snowbirds who will increase the population of many Arizona towns and cities.

Many destinations in Arizona double as a seasonal home for often out-of-state residents looking to avoid harsh winter weather conditions.

Arizona is one of the most popular snowbird destinations in the country. A snowbird is a person who migrates from a colder part of North America to warmer locales, primarily during the winter.

Here's what to know about snowbirds, how many of them there really are in the winter in Arizona and how they may impact your day-to-day life this winter.

When is snowbird season?

Snowbirds with residences in Arizona tend to move just before the first winter storm in their home region.

For snowbirds from locations that get snow earlier in the year, such as Canada and Alaska, that could be as early as October. Most snowbirds, however, move primarily within the first weeks of December.

It's widely believed snowbird season typically runs through March or April, around the middle of spring.

How many snowbirds are there in Arizona?

It's difficult to know exactly how many snowbirds are in Arizona during the winter because they're not permanent residents, so they're not counted in most censuses or data trackers.

According to the Canada Arizona Business Council, the Grand Canyon State is a temporary home for about 100,000 residential tourists or snowbirds specifically from Canada.

What are the most popular snowbird destinations in Arizona?

The most popular places for snowbirds to move in Arizona are Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Phoenix, Surprise, Peoria, Goodyear, Avondale, Scottsdale, Tucson and Sedona.

That's according to StorageCafe, which actually designates Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler as "Snowbird Hotspots" in Arizona.

Where do snowbirds come from?

Snowbirds move to Arizona from all over the country. In fact, snowbirds move to Arizona from all over North America.

One of the most common places snowbirds move from, believe it or not, is Canada.

Almost every Canadian city receives winter weather. The extreme winter conditions drive people to find warmer locations all over America. Florida, California, Arizona and Texas are the some of the most popular states for Canadian snowbirds.

There are also a lot of snowbirds that will move from Arizona's towns that receive snow. There are slews of people from the Pinetop-Lakeside area and Flagstaff who move to the Phoenix and Tucson areas.

Alaska is an American state that receives major winter weather, and plenty of Alaskan snowbirds seek warmer winter living in Arizona.

You may meet a lot of people from America's upper midwest states in Arizona this winter, especially Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Other snowbirds can come from nearby states that receive a lot of snow, such as Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming.

How might snowbirds affect me?

Snowbirds surely leave many impacts on Arizona, most positive but a few negative.

A negative impact is the traffic. Snowbirds will assuredly bring more vehicles to Phoenix, Tucson and their surrounding cities, often in the most crowded spaces that already experience plenty of traffic. More traffic also means more risk of car crashes.

In Florida, another popular snowbird destination, roadways see a surge of vehicle accidents during the snowbird season. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, during the months of October through April, there were 3,741 accident-related fatalities in 2021 and 3,434 in 2022. March, October and December were the most dangerous months for driving in 2022.

Despite the risk of accidents and the annoying roadway crowdedness, you could interpret the traffic as a sign of a boosted economy because it means snowbirds are supporting Arizona businesses.

The Canada Arizona Business Council reports that Canadian snowbirds add an estimated $1.4 billion to the Arizona economy. That's a huge boost for businesses.

Looking at the economic factor, however, brings up a negative impact of snowbirds, in that they tend to live in concentrated areas and can increase the demand for housing. In a state that's already experiencing major residential growth from people moving from states like California, that can make it incredibly difficult for residents to find housing.

On the flip side, however, many of the snowbirds rent their homes in the off-months, which actually provides to the housing supply. Snowbirds can be a key part of the real estate market.

Final Thoughts:

As snowbird season approaches, Arizona welcomes thousands of seasonal visitors seeking a warm escape from winter’s chill. If you're moving to Arizona from out of state, especially during this time, you’ll experience a unique blend of culture and energy that snowbirds bring. From boosting the local economy to contributing to the real estate market, snowbirds play a significant role in shaping Arizona's winter landscape. Whether you're settling into a popular snowbird destination or discovering new communities, their presence is just another aspect of Arizona’s appeal during the cooler months.